Who was number 3?

I just had a very good discussion with a trinitarian member of my church. I asked him about his concept of the hierarchy of authority in Heaven before the fall of Lucifer. I asked him who was next after Christ. He immediately responded that it was the Holy Spirit, as you would expect. He was shocked when I said that in fact it was Lucifer.

Here are the EGW quotes I gave him.

“The Son of God was next in authority to the great Lawgiver. He knew that his life alone could be sufficient to ransom fallen man. He was of as much more value than man as his noble, spotless character, and exalted office as commander of all the heavenly host, were above the work of man. He was in the express image of his Father, not in features alone, but in perfection of character.” {2SP 9.1}

"Satan's position in heaven had been next to the Son of God. He was first among the angels." {1SM 341.4}

Speaking of Satan, our Lord says that "he abode not in the truth." He was once the covering cherub, glorious in beauty and holiness. He was next to Christ in exaltation and character. It was with Satan that self-exaltation had its origin. He became jealous of Christ, and falsely accused him, and then laid blame upon the Father. He was envious of the position that was held by Christ and the Father, and he turned from his allegiance to the Commander of heaven and lost his high and holy estate. {RH, October 22, 1895 par. 1}

The next question just begs to be asked doesn't it? This is what I posed to him. "Where is the third person of the Godhead in this hierarchy? Surely Lucifer, a created being, could not be above the third person of the Godhead. Maybe here is clear evidence that there is no third person of the Godhead just as our SDA pioneers believed and just as I believe." Fellow believers, there was no answer coming back to me. There was just silence. I hasten to point out that I believe all of what I said was put into my mind by the Holy Spirit. He gave me the right words at the right time in the study, as He does. I shudder at how imperfect and deficient I am for such a high calling to serve God, but I have finally learned that I only need to be willing. He does the rest.

I am praying that this was a "lights on" moment for my friend and the Holy Spirit can now begin His job of convicting. There is a long way to go still and we will have many more discussions I am sure. (He is trying to convert me back to "the fold" and I am introducing him to the only true God and His Son.)

I hope this little experience may be of some small help to others in their witness to our trinitarian brothers and sisters.